December has been a pretty tough month to raise livestock in Iowa. It has been extremely cold, and we’ve had enough snow to assure us of a white Christmas.

But when I think back to how my family and I raised livestock in years past, I can’t complain. Neither can my hogs.

Following a recent snow storm, I stepped inside one of the modern barns I manage and snapped a picture of a pen of pigs. I posted it on my Facebook page, along with an outside picture showing the wind and snow. While the wind chill...